Buddha Mahotsav

. Maniabandha is a part of UTTKAL, so it has to reflect the kala on tie and dye for weaving the clothes. The village Maniabandha is named with combination of two words i.e. ’Mani+bandha ‘ and mani+Buddha’ which later transform the word as Maniabandha . Mani means precious material and bandha means a bo***ge or boundary wall and Buddha is usually depicted to the area where the prefetching of Lord Buddha i.e. nonviolence and peace are practiced. The art of weaving and the Buddhist weavers with practice of nonviolence and peace are regarded as precious material and the cluster of such precious materials bounded or reserved in the area is called Maniabandha. Hence Maniabandha is generally treated to be an area enriched with weaving and Buddhism or in other words Maniabandha is famous for Buddha (Buddhism) and boyan (weaving) . So Maniabandha is a handloom cluster village in India. Anybody visiting puri to see Lord JAGANNATH must have been fascinated towords the vibrant colored cloths of the Lord known as Pata Khandua which are made in Maniabandha. Maniabandhi sarees are different from others for its own special uniqueness. Weavers use different designs pattern, motives, colors, textures, yarns products in different climates. Mat finishing sarees are produced in Maniabandha . That is why all human being should not forget to visit this artesian village once in their life time. It is equally important to furnish a clear geographical sketch with description regarding the location, road facilities and the way of approach to reach the village. As per the Census of 1901, not only that 834 persons in Orissa declared Buddhism to be their faith , but also a caste called Sarak (Sravaka), with obvious Buddhist connections, was in existence in the Baramba(Maniabandha)state of Orissa.(G.A. Grierson, Census of India,1901,vol. The geographical situation of the village and periphery is shown below with the district (Cuttack Map) map
In past Maniabandha was a big area, now it is divided in 13 Panchayats . Still Maniabandha covers a large area . Its population is more than 8000. Around the village many big hills are standing and the hill are full of green trees. Its natural senery are very attractive and beautiful . Near Naga hill there is naga cave ,lord Buddha is now worshiped in that cave. S.H. 65 i.e. Cuttack , Narsinghpur main road is going middle of the village. Maniabandha is a urban area having a market with all types of commodities to solve the need and demand of a ommon people of the modern world. In middle of the market Maniabandha bus stand is there . In every morning vast bundle of sarees will be seen at the bus stand which arew usually inside /outside of the state for selling purpose. Near the bus stand Maniabandha nodal school. Girls high school , boys high school and sisumandira are present which are connected with approach road from S.H. 65. A passenger or a tourist has to drop from the bus at Maniabandha bus stand and can see a widened all whether road.running to north from S.H. 65. He/she can watch the process of colouring, drumming, reeling of threads and the selling outlets of Chandramani Dalei, madhaba Chandra Dutta and Niranjan Dalei in Maniabandha sahi , drying of cotton clothes in the sun, calendaring of sarees (basani) with the collection and selling outlet of Niranjan Dutta and Jayant Patra will come to eye in the western end of Suniapatna sahi and while proceeding to words east, at Bulabadi various procedure of weaving viz- folding of IKAT. Making of IKAT. Coloring of IKAT, separation of IKAT clusters into units, silk processing with drying of different variety of colour threads can be seen and if one will proceed further , he/she will see a large size with Ashokaan pillar in its front. Four Buddhist temples are also seen in Suniapatna sahi in two of which idols of Hindu thought are there which is a good symbol of religious harmony. Asini sahi , Nahasahi and Sarak sahi are in existence of north of Suniapatna sahi where is silk and cotton looms with different patterns along with the collection and sale outlets of Suresh sahoo,Jayanand Tosh,Sinibash Pati, Siba Behera Makar barik, Ghanashyam mohapatra, kailash Mohapatra.Laxmi Dhar Patra, Keshaba Patra Sudhakar Chanda etc are found. Further proceed to north, appreciable quality of cotton and silk looms will be found in each and every house and production of extraordinary IKAT designs viz- lord Buddha, Mahalaxmi, Bharat Mata, walking picture of Mahatma Gandhi, flowing of boats in water, lighting of ‘dippa’ by a woman in worshiping style etc along with collection and sale outlet of Shyam Sundar Karan, Debaraj Debata and Lokannath Naha will impress the visitors with great excitement. One cannot resist his impulse to shower praise by getting the pleasure of the natural scenery of lakes and the images of parliament with sketch of Kargil war. In the IKAT prepared by Pranakrishn Dalei of Suniapatna sahi. 4-5 carpentry units are running in the village for preparation and repair of handlooms. Nobel laureate Dalai Lama and Nischidasu Fuji ,the religious teacher of Japan are the eminent tourist recorded by the village. Successful operation with collection and sale outlets of Dalai Lama Buddhist weavers co-op. society and Maniabandha weavers co-op. society along with other societies and weaving clusters have managed to improve the quality of production of handloom fabrics of the area and visiting those institution must not be ignored by anybody. ATTRACTION OF BUDDHISM:-
Producers of Maniabandhi cotton and silk fabrics and IKAT are vegetarians and generally lovers of nonviolence and peace in every walk of their life which can be marked from their art in IKAT viz- picture of flower, leaves, boats flowing in water, fish, lion, elephant, deer, rabbit, bullock, horse , parrot, pigeon, peacock, hen etc and utilization of cotton and a silk of ‘eri’ category the warm of which fled away after preparing cocoon are the best examples of ‘Samyak- ajiba’ (right profession) as preached by the lord Buddha. Further eleven temples of lord Buddha and existence of equal number of Hindu temples in the village give the message of brotherhood to the entire universe. Construction of a craft centre by the government in tourist interest at the site of Buddha Bihar at the southern end of the village shall win the heart of visitors by giving them pleasure in all angles. IMPORTANT FESTIVALS OF TOURIST ATTRACTION:
Car festival with all rituals of Puri, Dola festival and Laxmi Puja are although the important festivals of the village but the celebration of Buddha Jayanti festival in the village with pump and ceremony in presence of tourists/saint of foreign countries like- Japan, Sri Lanka,Tibet, Indonesia, Korea etc who are very often seen in the village, is regarded as the most important festival. The procession of Lord Buddha on an artificial decorated white elephant with the exact replica of Santistupa of Dhaulli and Ashokan pillar is so heart touching that a human is compelled to praise the artist voluntarily and missing a chance to see it is of course is the greatest unhappiness is one’s life. The world class “Maniabandha “ style of sarees are also presently prepared in the adjoining and neighboring villages of Maniabandha viz- Nuapatna. Mahulia, Kasikiary, Khuntakata , Ragardipada, Keshabareni, Gemilo, Adheigundi, Kanpur, Gopinathpur etc. NEAREST PLACES OF TOURIST ATTRACTION:-
Besides the enriched green herbarium, the “hinajani Buddha “temple of 3re century A.D. in the middle of Mahanadi at “Singhanath pitha” and at Baneswarnasi at Kanpur are regarded as the Konark of the locality because of its unique architectural work of stone carving and the “Tantrajan” Baudha Pitha at Bhatarika by the side of river Mahanadi are the Nearby tourist places of Maniabandha. SUGGESTION FOR SPECIAL ATTENTION BY GOVT:-
Road facilities are to be improved according to the choice of the modern man. Extension of railway to the village would be the best way to attract the tourist. A museum with the ancient technique of colorization and weaving with present way of color and weaving are required to be established to provide extra charm to the visitors. When the art of poor weavers with their poor residential building attract the mind of tourist with great enthusiasm so adequate residential facilities in the style of panthanibash or 3/5 star hotel with guest house can solve the problem of need and requirement of modern tourist. Modern infrastructure facilities are required to be set up by the govt. Immediately for irradiation of unemployment and poverty of the local poor weavers and to create anxiety in the mind of visitors so as to fill incompleteness in their journey, if the village be not visited by him/her Although craft centre is under construction to attract the visitor but the same time is equally important to develop the Buddhist tourist site or the village as Maniabandha is not Only famous for weaving and art of tie and dye but also for having large number of traditional Buddhist and Buddha temple.